Flare support



Feb. 16, 1937. Q 3 BROWN 2,070,882

FLARE SUPPORT Filed March 12, 1956 Patented Feb. 16, 1937 UNITE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to supports for flares or torches, of the kind used on railroads, as well as on highways, in case of an emergency or breakdown at night, requiring strong light on 5 a railroad or highway.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction whereby a support is provided for a flare or torch of this kind, in places where the point or spike at one end of the flare cannot be made to penetrate something to hold it in more or less upright position. On a cement highway, for example, there is nothing for the sharp point or spike to penetrate, and consequently something must be provided to hold the flare in more or less upright position, while it is burning, and

the object of the invention is to provide a support that will not only be eifective in use, but

which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which may be packed in a box or case in which the flares are sold.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction tending to increase the general efficiency and desirability of a flare or torch support of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. l is a perspective of a flare support embodying the principles of the invention, showing a flare supported thereby.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the support in folded condition.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, on a larger scale, of a portion of the support, showing portions thereof in different positions.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the support, in the condition in which it is shown in Fig. 1, on a larger scale, with a portion of the flare also shown in position on the support.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the support, in the condition in which it is shown in Fig. l of the drawing, with the guide hand along portions shown broken away for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the manner in which the support and flares are packed in a box or case.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises two members I and 2, of suitable length, pivoted together by means of a hollow rivet 3, and provided with downturned end portions 4 on the shorter ends of said members, whereby the support is adapted to be arranged as shown in Fig. 1,

and supported with its ends on a paving or flat surface.

In use, the sharp point or spike 5 of the flare or torch 6 is inserted through the hollow rivet 3, and the downturned end portions 4 are preferably long enough to permit the shoulder, formed by the lower end of the flare B, to rest on the top end of said rivet, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

The flare support may be folded together so that the two members are parallel, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and for this purpose the end portions 4 are preferably slightly oblique, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, so that they can only unfold in one direction, as indicated.

As shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, the flare support, when folded as shown in Fig. 2, can be placed in a box or case 1, shown in dotted lines,

along with the two flares 5, arranged as shown, so that the end portions 4 extend across the top end of one flare and across the end of the spike 5 of the other flare. In this way, the box or case does not need to be but little larger than would be the case if only the flares were packed therein.

Preferably, the members I and 2 are made of metal, but it is obvious that they could be made of wood, or any other suitable material, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

By passing the spike 5 through the hollow rivet 3, the said spike becomes available as a pivot for the two members, and the hollow rivet might be omitted, or if it should break or fall out, practically no harm would be done, inasmuch as the said spike would remain to form the pivotal connection between the two members. The two members are provided with registering holes, of course, for the hollow rivet 3, and with the latter omitted, the spike could pass through said holes, but it is preferable to provide something inexpensive to form a permanent pivotal connection between the two members, so that the latter may not become separated, and so that it will be easier to make proper use of the support.

It will be seen that the construction of the support thus provided is such that the flare or torch, sometimes called a fusee, while held in more or less upright position, is, in fact, held in an inclined or leaning position, as in this position flares of this kind are found to burn to better advantage.

As is well known, a flare or signal of this kind will burn better, when held in an inclined position, as the lava will drop off and fall on the ground, instead of running down the side of the tube, as would be the case if the flare were held vertically. Also, as another advantage, it will be seen that the device is so simple and is so formed that it can be packed lengthwise in a straight box, as shown, with the flares, practically without any necessity of any extra room in said box, as the two straight bars are squeezed in between one side wall of the box and one of the flares, while the straight legs 4 are squeezed in between one end wall of the box and the adjacent ends of the flares. Thus a very simple and very inexpensive holder is provided.

The device comprises only three parts, the two straight bars I and 2, with their right angle legs 4, and the hollow pivot or grommet 3 by which the two bars are inseparably connected together, and which provides the socket for the spike of the flare.

constructed, it is possible to fold the holder into the form of a straight bar with a relatively hort right angle portion at one end thereof, in the manner shown and described, without the necessity of removing any portion of the holder.

In other words, the entire device folds into neat and compact form, as shown and described, so that it can be stored or shipped in the same box with the flares, and in use the relatively short right angle portions or legs 4 support the holder at the desired angle to insure the best results.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A flare or signal holder, comprising a pair of straight flat bars turned down at one end to form legs, pivoted together crosswise at a fixed point nearer said legs than the other end of the holder, so that the legless ends of the bars are farther apart than the legs when the latter are adjusted the desired distance apart, with a socket in the pivotal connection for the spike of the flare, whereby said legs support the bars in an inclined plane to hold the flare at the desired angle for burning.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, having a metal grommet forming said pivotal connection and the socket of the flare, being riveted over at its ends, and serving to inseparably connect the two bars at a point substantially the same distance from each legless end.

CLARENCE B. BROWN. 

